Cotton-bur breaker and suction-fan



S. D. IRWIN A-ND S. E. JOHNSON, Jn. CoToN BUR BREAKER AND sucloN FAN.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 6.1918. '1 ,$29,920. Patented Nov. 18, 1919.v n

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4 ATTORNEY S. D. IRWIN AND S. E. JDHNSON, In.l

COTTON BUR BHEAKER AND SUCTION FAN.

APPLICATION FILED DECh. 191B.

l1 ,$322,020. rammed Nov. 18, 1919.

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ATTOR N EY SAlES PATENT OFFICE,

SAMUEL DAVID IRWIN AND STEPHEN ELIBERT JQHNSON, JR., OF FLYDAIDA, TEXAS.

` COTTONLBUR BREAKER AND SUCTION-FAN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented NOV. 18, 1919.

Application led December 6, 191B. Serial No. 265,557.

To all 'whom t may concern.'

Be it known that we, SAMUEL Devin InwIN and STEPHEN ELBERT JOHNSON, J r., citizens of the United States, residing at Floydada in the county of Floyd and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cotton-Bur Breakers and Suction-Fans, of which the following is a specification,

This invention has relation to apparatus of the pneumatic type designed for han dling commodities during the process of loading or unloading and is specically de signed for application in thecotton industry for unloading the cotton from a farm wagon and delivering the same to a gin, the apparatus being of such construction as to handle cotton in the form of lint or in the bur, the latter being crushed to the req uisite degree to facilitate 'the separation of the lint from the hulls.

The invention providesa mechanism embodying a -fan and a breaker, the latter being adjustable to lbe thrown into or out of operative position or to be setso as to break or crush the cotton burs to the required extent as may be found most advan tageous in the handling and ginning of the cotton.

The invention furthermore provides a mechanism which is susceptible of use either as a pneumatic conveyer or asa conned crusher and conveyor, said mechanism embodying a conduit, means for creating a suction and a blast to the conduit and means for crushing the' burs of cotton plants so as to facilitate the separation of the lint therefrom,

The drawing illustrates `a preferred enr bodiment of the invention, however, itisto be understood that in adapting the lsame to meet dilferent conditions, various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the nature `of the invention 4 as claimed hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sec tion of a combined cotton breaker and pneumatic conveyer embodying the invention, certain parts being positioned differently from the position illustrated in Fig. 2 to more clearly illustrate their relative arrange; ment, l

to in the following description and indi# cated in the several views of the drawing by like reference characters.

The apparatus comprises essentially a conduit or conveyer which may be designated as comprising a suction or receiving section 1 and a blast or delivery section F2, such seetions being associated with the casing `3 of a combined fan and crusher.

` he easing 3 is of circular form and is mounted upon a suitable frame work 4 and comprises `an inlet 5 and an outlet G. The outlet 6 has a tangential arrangement and the delivery section 2 of the conduit is adapted to be connected thereto in any manner. The inlet 5 has an axial disposition and the suction or receiving section l of the conduit is adapted to be coupled thereto in any way. One side of the casing 3 is open and a Haring ring 7 is secured thereto in any substantial u ray. A plurality of brackets 8 are secured to the ring 7 and comprise horizontal portions in which are formed longitudinal slots 9. The purpose of the brackets 8 will appear more fully hereinafter.

A spider is secured to the casing and com prises a ring 10 and oppositely disposed arms 11 which are secured at their outer ends to the flared ring 7. One of the arms 11 has an extension 1Q to which the receiving section l of the conduit is secured in any manner; Projections 13 extend out-- wardly from the ring 10 and constitute `supporting means for adjusting elements as will appear more fully hereinafter.

The rear wall of the casing 3 is provided centrally with a boss 14: in which is mounted a shaft l5, the outer end of the shaft having a pulley 16 secured thereto which is adapted to be connected in any manner with a suitable source of power, whereby the shaft 15 may be rotated. A suitable fan i7 is keyed on the shaft 15 so `as to rotate therewith and its hub engages theinner end of the boss 14, as shown most clearly at 18 in Fig. l,

thereby preventing endwise movement of the shaft 15 or lateral movement of the fan 17. VThe fan 17 may be of any type having a central suction and a peripheral discharge, whereby a suction lis created through the receiving section 1 of the conduit and a blast is delivered through -the delivery section 2 of the conduit. The fan 17 is disposed within the casing 3 and its front wall is provided with ribs, teeth or the like forming elements of a crusher or mill. A plurality of plates 19 are secured to the outer portion of the forward wall of the tan 17 and the outer side of theseplates is ,toothed or ribbed to provide crushing elements. The front wall of the fan 17 is open at the center and a separator is located opposite such opening to prevent large particles or whole burs from passing into the fan. v

The separator comprises like or similar top and bottom plates 2O and side grids, the latter being oppositely. inclined and formed of a plurality of strips 21 which have Openings at opposite ends to receive bolts or rods 22 by means of which the several strips are connected together and to the plates 20. The plates 20 are of triangular form and their inner edges are flanged and secured in any manner to the front wall of the fan 17. The strips 21 are spaced apart and their forward overlapping ends vare protected by means of an angle plate 23 which is retained in place by the forward bolt or connecting rod 22. By having the sides of the separator oppositely inclined they serve todelect the cotton burs outwardly and insure positive delivery thereof to the crusher or breaker.

A conical or flared member 24 is disposed opposite the open side of the casing 3 and embodies a neck portion 25, an outwardly extending portion 26 and a band portion 27. The member 24 is adjustable' toward and Jfrom the casing for the purpose presently to be explained. The neck portion. 25 telescopes with the delivery end of the section 1 oi' the conduit and is supported by the ring 10 within which it is movable. The band 2( -has a close lit with the inner edge of the ring 7 and receives bolts or like elements 28 which pass through the slots 9 of the brackets 8 and receive expansible helical springs 29, whereby the member 24 is centered relatively to the ring 7. The springs 29 are confined between the horizontal portions of the brackets 8 and the outer end of the bolt 28. 'Contractile helical springs 30 are secured at their inner end to theouter -portionf26 of the Ymember 24 and are attached at their outer ends tothe arms 11. -It will thus be understood that the' springs 30 normally tend to move the member 24 outwardly. The inner face of the outwardly eX- tending portion 26 isprovided with crushing elements to coperate with the crushing elements rotatable with the fan. Plates 31 similar to the plates 19 are attached to the part 26. The toothed or ribbed faces of the parts 17 and 26 constitute the breaker or crusher which reduces the hulls or burs to the proper or required size.

The member 24 is adjustable so as to vary the distance between the crushing surfaces and while any means may be employed for adjusting the member 24 and holding it in the adjusted position it is preferred to employ the means indicated which con-- sist of a lever 32, a toothed bar 33 and connecting means between the lever 32 and the member 24. The lever 32 is provided with a latch 34 which coperates with the tooth bar .33 to hold the lever in the adjusted position. The lever 32 is mounted upon the ring portion 10 of the spider and is provided at its pivot end with opposite extensions 35 which are connected to elements 36. The elements 3G consist of shafts which are mounted in the projections 13 of the spider and have bent ends 37 which are connected by means of links 38 with the member 24. Movement of the lever 32 eilects a rocking of the elements 36and a corresponding movement of their bent ends 37 which being coupled to the member 24 causes the latter to move inwardly or outwardly, whereby to vary the distance between the crushing elements of the breaker.

The separator extends into the flared portion of the member 24 and deflect-s thc burs outwardly Vto the crushing elements of the breaker. The fan 17 with the elements 19 constitutes the rotary memberof the breaker. The member 24 with the elements 31 con stitutes the stationary member of the breaker. Vhen the apparatus is used for conveying lint from the wagon to the `gin the relatively stationary member of the breaker is moved outwardly to the limit of its adjustment so that the passage way through the conduit and casing may oti'er a minimum amount of resistance to the travel of the lint or other material passing through the device. When the cotton to be unloaded and supplied to the gin is contained in the burs or hulls the adjustable member of the crusher or breaker is set so as to reduce the burs or hulls to Y proper or required size and in the operation of the mechanism, the cotton is drawn from the wagon into the section 1 of the conduit and passes from, thence into the crusher which breaks up the burs or hulls and the latter with the cotton is delivered through the section 2 of the conduit to the gin or other place at which the cotton is to be dclivered.

In practice, the fan 17 is driven at a high rate of speed, usually about eighteen hundred revolutions per minute, thereby creating a strong current which is drawn into the inlet 5, the greater per cent. passing through the grid, thence into the fan and outwardly Lacanau" into the casing 3 and through the conduitn A portionof the current of air is deflected members 31 and 19 into the casing 3 and passingv outwardly through the conduit 2. The bolly cotton is fed `into the inlet 5 and is taken up by the current of air and a portion passes through the grid into the fan, thence outwardly into the casing 3 and is carried off through the conduit 2, The remaining portion of the cotton is deflected outwardly by the elements of the grid into the flared portion 24 of the casing and passes between the crushing members 31 and 19, whereby the Iburs are crushed and broken up and finally pass into the casing 3, thence oil' through the conduit 2.

The foregoing description and the drawings have reference to what may be considered the preferred, or approved, form of our invention. It is to be understood that we may make such changes in construction and arrangement and combination of parts, materials, dimensions, et cetera, as may prove expedient and fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A combined pneumatic conveyer and crusher, the same comprising a conduit, a fan in the length of the conduit for creating a suction in the receiving portion of the conduit and a blast in the delivery portion of the conduit and a crusher also located in the length of the conduit for reducing the size of the material passing therethrough and required to be broken up.

2. In apparatus of the character described, a casing, a fan disposed within the casing, a crusher likewise arranged within the casing and comprising a member rotatable with the fan and a conduit comprising suction and delivery sections connected with the inlet and outlet of the c sing, respectively.

3. In apparatus of the character described, a casing having a centrally disposed inlet and a peripheral outlet, a fan within the casing and aseparator rotatable with the fan and extending into and through the inlet of the casing.

i- In apparatus of the character described, a casing having a centrally disposed inlet and a peripheral outlet, a fan mounted within the casing and comprising front and rear walls, the front wall having a central opening to register with the' inlet of the casing and a separator attached to the front wall of the fan and covering the opening thereof and extending through the inlet opening of the casing.

5. In apparatus of the character specified, the combination of a casing, a fan within the casing, crushing elements mounted upon the fan and a 'member within the casing provided with crushing elements to coperate with thecrnshing elements mounted upon the fan.` i

6. In .apparatus oi the character specih'ed,

the combination of a casing, a fan within the casing, crushing elements mounted upon the tan, a member within the casing provided with crushing elements to cooperate with the crushing elements mounted upon the fan, and means for adjusting said mem ber toward and away from the fan to `waryY the distance between the complemental crushing element.

7. In apparatus of the character described, a casing, a fan within the casing, crushing elements mounted upon the fan, a member within the casing and provided with crushing elements disposed to coact with the crushing elements of the fan, a lever mounted upon the casing, connecting means between said lever and the member to admit of adjustment of the lever for varying the distance .between the complemental crushing elements, and means for securing the lever in the required adjusted position.

8. In apparatus of the character set forth, a casing, a rotary fan within the casing provided with crushing elements, a member provided with crushing elements disposed to coperate with the crushing elements of the fan, spring means normally tending to move the said member outwardly and a lever operatively connected with the member for moving the same inwardly against attention of the spring means coperating therewith.

9. In apparatus of the character set forth, a casing a rotary member within the casing, provided with crushing elements, an adjustable member provided with crushing elements to coperate with the crushing elements of the rotary member, longitudinally Slotted elements having connection with the casing, bolts connected with the adjustable member and passing through the longitudinally slotted elements, springs coniined on said bolts and normally exerting an outward pressure thereon, and means for moving the adjustable element and holding it in the required position.

10. In apparatus of the character set forth, a casing, a rotary member within the casing provided with crushing elements, an adjustable member provided with crushing elements to cooperate with the crushing elements of the rotary member, yieldable connections between the casing and adjustable member for centering the latter, a spider connected with the casing and forming supporting means for the adjustable member, a lever mounted upon the spider, connecting means between the lever and adjustable member and partly supported by the spider,

and means mounted upon the spider for securing the lever in the required adjusted position. v

11. In apparatus of Ithe character described, comprising a casing having an inlet andan outlet, a conduit having' sections coupled to the inlet and the outlet of the easing, a fan Within the casing and provided With crushingelements, an adjustable member Within the casing and provided With crushing elements to coact With the crushing elements of the fan, a separator rotatable With the fan and projecting intol the inlet of the casing and adapted to direct the material to be crushed between the coperating` erushiing elements and means for moving; the adjustable member and holding it in the required adjusted position.

In testimony whereof We affix our signatures in presence of tWo Witnesses.

SAMUEL DAVID IRWIN. STEPHEN ELBERT JOHNSON, JR.

Witnesses W. B. JORDAN, LEE ALLMAN. 

